Medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system with a rotatable user interface element having a non-rotatable indicator

Abstract

The preferred embodiments described herein provide a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system with a rotatable user interface element having a non-rotatable indicator. In one preferred embodiment, a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system user interface is provided with a user interface element comprising a rotatable portion disposed around a non-rotatable portion that comprises an indicator identifying a function of the user interface element. With this preferred embodiment, the indicator does not rotate with rotation of the rotatable portion. In another preferred embodiment, a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system is provided with a user interface comprising a rotary input device comprising a rotatable shaft, an inner member disposed around and fixed with respect to the rotatable shaft, and an outer member disposed around the inner member and coupled with the rotatable shaft. The inner member comprises an indicator identifying a function of the rotary input device, and rotation of the outer member rotates the rotatable shaft of the rotary input device without rotating the inner member.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. In a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system comprising a transmit beamformer, a receive beamformer, a processor coupled with the transmit and receive beamformers, and a user interface coupled with the processor, the user interface controlling a function of the ultrasound imaging system, the improvement comprising: 
       wherein the user interface comprises:  
       a rotary input device comprising a rotatable shaft;  
       an inner member disposed around and fixed with respect to the rotatable shaft and comprising an indicator identifying a function of the rotary input device; and  
       an outer member disposed around the inner member and coupled with the rotatable shaft, whereby rotation of the outer member rotates the rotatable shaft of the rotary input device without rotating the inner member.  
     
     
       2. The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is provided on a top surface of the inner member. 
     
     
       3. The invention of  claim 1  further comprising a grip member disposed around the outer member. 
     
     
       4. The invention of  claim 1 , wherein a grip portion is formed in the outer member. 
     
     
       5. The invention of  claim 1  further comprising a light source positioned to illuminate the indicator. 
     
     
       6. The invention of  claim 5 , wherein the rotatable shaft is axially movable along its rotational axis, and wherein axial movement activates the light source. 
     
     
       7. The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the inner member defines a plurality of chambers, and wherein the invention further comprises a plurality of light sources, each light source of the plurality of light sources being positioned to illuminate respective chambers of the plurality of chambers. 
     
     
       8. The invention of  claim 7 , wherein an additional light source is positioned to illuminate one of the plurality of chambers with light of a different characteristic from the first-mentioned light source. 
     
     
       9. The invention of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of light sources is operative to provide at least two different light characteristics. 
     
     
       10. The invention of  claim 7 , wherein the inner member comprises at least one additional indicator, and wherein the first-mentioned indicator and the at least one additional indicator are positioned over respective chambers of the plurality of chambers. 
     
     
       11. The invention of  claim 10 , wherein at least some of the light sources are activated independently to provide selective lighting of the indicators. 
     
     
       12. The invention of  claim 1  further comprising an illumination ring disposed around the inner member. 
     
     
       13. A medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system user interface comprising: 
       a user interface controlling a function of an ultrasound imaging system, the user interface element comprising a rotatable portion disposed around a non-rotatable portion comprising an indicator identifying a function of the user interface element, whereby the indicator of the non-rotatable portion does not rotate with rotation of the rotatable portion.  
     
     
       14. The invention of  claim 13  further comprising a light source positioned to illuminate the indicator. 
     
     
       15. The invention of  claim 13 , wherein the user interface element defines a plurality of chambers, and wherein the invention further comprises a plurality of light sources, each light source of the plurality of light sources being positioned to illuminate respective chambers of the plurality of chambers. 
     
     
       16. The invention of  claim 15 , wherein the non-rotatable portion comprises at least one additional indicator, and wherein the first-mentioned indicator and the at least one additional indicator are positioned over respective chambers of the plurality of chambers. 
     
     
       17. The invention of  claim 16 , wherein at least some of the light sources are activated independently to provide selective lighting of the indicators. 
     
     
       18. The invention of  claim 15  further comprising an additional light source positioned to illuminate one of the plurality of chambers with light of a different characteristic from the first-mentioned light source. 
     
     
       19. The invention of  claim 13 , wherein the user interface element comprises a knob. 
     
     
       20. In a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system comprising a transmit beamformer, a receive beamformer, a processor coupled with the transmit and receive beamformers, and a user interface coupled with the processor, the user interface controlling a function of the ultrasound imaging system, the improvement comprising: 
       the user interface comprising:  
       a rotary input device comprising a rotatable shaft;  
       an inner member disposed around and fixed with respect to the rotatable shaft and comprising an indicator identifying a function of the rotary input device, wherein the inner member comprises an inner cap, and wherein the indicator is provided on the inner cap;  
       an outer member disposed around the inner member and coupled with the rotatable shaft, whereby rotation of the outer member rotates the rotatable shaft of the rotary input device without rotating the inner member.  
     
     
       21. In a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system comprising a transmit beamformer, a receive beamformer, a processor coupled with the transmit and receive beamformers, and a user interface coupled with the processor, the user interface controlling a function of the ultrasound imaging system, the improvement comprising: 
       the user interface comprising:  
       a rotary input device comprising a rotatable shaft;  
       an inner member disposed around and fixed with respect to the rotatable shaft and comprising an indicator identifying a function of the rotary input device;  
       an outer member disposed around the inner member and coupled with the rotatable shaft, whereby rotation of the outer member rotates the rotatable shaft of the rotary input device without rotating the inner member; and  
       at least one light source positioned to illuminate the indicator and operative to provide different light characteristics to indicate a state of the function identified by the indicator, wherein a first light characteristic indicates that the function identified by the indicator is active and wherein a second light characteristic indicates that the function identified by the indicator is available but not active.  
     
     
       22. The invention of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one light source indicates that the function identified by the indicator is off by not illuminating the indicator. 
     
     
       23. The invention of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one light source comprises a single light source that provides the different light characteristics. 
     
     
       24. The invention of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one light source comprises a plurality of light sources, each providing a respective light characteristic.